Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Rhamnus frangula cultivar Ron Williams.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Rhamnus plant, botanically known as Rhamnus frangula, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Ron Williamsxe2x80x99.
The new Rhamnus originated from a chance cross-pollination in 1989 of the Rhamnus frangula cultivar Columnaris, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Rhamnus frangula cultivar Asplenifolia, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Rhamnus was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant in a controlled environment in Green Bay, Wisc., within a population of the progeny resulting from the cross-pollination.
Asexual reproduction of the new Rhamnus by cuttings was first conducted in Green Bay, Wisc. during the summer of 1999. Since then, asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Rhamnus are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar Ron Williams has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Ron Williamsxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Ron Williamsxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct Rhamnus:
1. Upright and columnar plant habit.
2. Freely branching growth habit.
3. Linear undulate foliage which gives a feathery appearance to the plant.
4. Low seed set; seed is not viable.
Plants of the new Rhamnus are most similar to plants of the female parent, the cultivar Columnaris. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Grand Haven, Mich., plants of the new Rhamnus differed from plants of the cultivar Columnaris in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Rhamnus had longer and narrower leaves than plants of the cultivar Columnaris.
2. Plants of the new Rhamnus were not as freely flowering as plants of the cultivar Columnaris.
3. Plants of the new Rhamnus produced very few seeds whereas plants of the cultivar Columnaris produced many seeds.
4. Seeds of plants of the new Rhamnus were not viable whereas seeds of plants of the cultivar Columnaris were viable.
Plants of the new Rhamnus can be compared to plants of the male parent, the cultivar Asplenifolia. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Grand Haven, Mich., plants of the new Rhamnus differed from plants of the cultivar Asplenifolia in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Rhamnus were more columnar and not as broad as plants of the cultivar Asplenifolia.
2. Plants of the new Rhamnus had longer leaves than plants of the cultivar Asplenifolia.
3. Plants of the new Rhamnus were not as freely flowering as plants of the cultivar Asplenifolia.
4. Plants of the new Rhamnus produced very few seeds whereas plants of the cultivar Asplenifolia produced a moderate amount of seeds.
5. Seeds of plants of the new Rhamnus were not viable whereas some seeds of plants of the cultivar Asplenifolia were viable.